Nearly 79 million adults in the U.S. are significantly overweight. If you’re one of them, you probably know that carrying excess weight can contribute to serious health issues such as diabetes and heart disease.
Recently, the FDA-approved VBLOC™ vagal blocking therapy, a new and novel weight loss technique that uses an implanted device to control appetite without medications or traditional bariatric surgery. Currently, Scripps Clinic Center for Weight Management is the only medical center in San Diego offering VBLOC. Here’s what you need to know about it.
• Vagal blocking therapy is a unique type of weight loss technique. Unlike diets, drugs or bariatric surgery, vagal blocking therapy essentially works like a pacemaker for your appetite. A small laparoscopically implanted device sends electrical impulses to your vagal nerve, which runs from your brain stem all the way to your digestive system and controls sensations of hunger and fullness. By intermittently blocking the vagal nerve, the device blocks hunger signals sent to the brain. Your brain believes you are full, which decreases your appetite to help you eat less and lose weight.
• Vagal blocking therapy is designed for patients who need to lose a significant amount of weight.
More than one-third of U.S. adults are obese, which is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. While bariatric surgical procedures such as gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy can be viable options, only about 1 percent of people who are candidates for bariatric surgery actually have the procedure. Vagal blocking therapy offers another alternative.
Vagal blocking therapy is intended for people with a BMI between 35 and 45 who have at least one obesity-related medical problem, such as diabetes, sleep apnea, or high cholesterol. People who have pacemakers or may need an MRI may not be able to use the device. In addition, people considering this procedure should have first tried to lose weight by diet and exercise in a supervised program within the past five years.
Takata is a general surgeon with Scripps Clinic, who specializes in advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery and is among a small number. For more information visit www.scripps.org/SNS or call (858) 914-2297.
